1. This background cartoon shows imperialism: every country wants a cut of land during the Fin de Siècle
Fin de Siècle Leading to War “end of the century” and the Balkan Powder Keg
Legend:
Bold means important term/ fact
= interesting tidbit
Kevin Lu
Period 5

2. Background Alliance between Great Powers weaken
Due to political and economic rivalries (fall of Ottoman Empire, Crimean War, Austro-Prussian War, Franco-Prussian War)  destroy Concert of Europe (the balance of powers in Europe settled at the Congress of Vienna after 1803 – 1815 Napoleonic Wars)
Hence, breakdown of balance of powers and diplomacy

3. Background continued. Growing sense of distrust  armaments
territory disputes
nationalism (independence, patriotism, preserve culture and religion)
each country wants to prove dominance by gaining land/ asserting spheres of influence
Culminates in formation of defensive “system of alliances”
Now, let’s see the situation for the important European players before WWI

4. Current state: industrialized, united, careful to not upset other countries under Otto von Bismarck, but 1890, Kaiser Wilheim II take over with aggressive global ambition
Triple Alliance: Germany | Austria-Hungary | Italy
Germany
Prelude:
before 1871 = loose confederation of independently-ruled territories; Prussia is largest (Background)
Chief minister Bismarck unites Germany
Acquires territory of Schleswig-Holstein (in Austro-Prussian War 1866) and Alsace-Lorraine (in Franco-Prussian War )
Asserts pressure on Austria by excluding Austria from Zollverein
Prewar:
Germany = unified, major European power
Goal after unification: security
Congress of Berlin (1878) – led by Bismarck, stabilize Balkans, restrain Russia, Ottoman Empire weakened -> key diplomacy (Chambers 822)
Form web of alliances for security, isolate France through Triple Alliance (1882) with Austria-Hungary and Italy
Reinsurance Treaty (1887) with Russia under terms:
Russian remains neutral if war between Germany and France, Germany remains neutral if war between Russia and Austria-Hungary (Chambers 823)

5. Difference between
Imperialism vs. Colonialism
Colonialism = practice, like building houses on newly gained land
Imperialism = idea
Triple Alliance: Germany | Austria-Hungary | Italy
Germany continued.
Alienate British when congratulate leaders of Boer Wars (1896) (Chambers 824) early sign that they will not ally
Bottom Line:
new belligerent German Kaiser, Wilheim II dismisses Bismarck in 1890  things go downhill
replace Bismarck’s conservative foreign policy (realpolitik) with “weltpolitik” (world policy) (Weltpolitik)
imperialism  want territory, hostile demand of French Congo in exchange for agreeing to France’s annexation of Morocco (Chambers 825)
refuses to renew treaty with Russia
competes against Great Britain in naval arms race (begin to build ships after Germany Navy Law 1900)
Largest land army because it is bordered by France and Russia
aggressive foreign policy alienates all countries except for Austria-Hungary
Origins of German nationalist catchphrase “A Place in the Sun” in defending colonialism
“The days when Germans granted one neighbor the earth, the other the sea, and reserved for themselves the sky, where pure doctrine reigns…. those days are over…. we do not want to put anyone in our shadow, but we also demand our place in the sun.”
– Chancellor Bernhard von Bülow 1897 (Gehrz)
Kaiser Wilheim II used the phrase his 1901 speech about becoming the naval stronghold in Europe:
“In spite of the fact that we have no such fleet as we should have, we have conquered for ourselves a place in the sun. It will now be my task to see to it that this place in the sun shall remain our undisputed possession, in order that the sun's rays may fall fruitfully upon our activity and trade in foreign parts, that our industry and agriculture may develop within the state and our sailing sports upon the water, for our future lies upon the water. The more Germans go out upon the waters, whether it be in races or regattas, whether it be in journeys across the ocean, or in the service of the battle flag, so much the better it will be for us.” (Modern)
British postcard depicting what would happen if Germany took the “place in the sun”

6.  Current state: weak democracy, aims to avenge loss of Alsace-Lorraine
Triple Entente: France | Russia | Great Britain
France
Grand Guignol – Paris theater of horror entertainment, fascination with morbidity, reflect the urbanized, revolutionary spirit (lasting impact of the French Revolution). Life is no longer centered around religion.
Prelude:
rebuilding after losses of Napoleonic Wars and Franco-Prussian War
colonizing Africa
thinks of Germany as a threat
Prewar:
France forms alliance with Russia in 1894, after new German leaders break Reinsurance Treaty (Chambers 824)
First Moroccan Crisis 1905:
Background: French army moves in 1903, other countries agree
1905 Kaiser Wilheim angry with alliance → wants to break up, humiliate France → national conference at Algerciras
Result: countries support France who retains interest in Morocco (Chambers 825)
Importance: solidify alliances (France and Great Britain) and enemies (disaster for Germany, only support from Austria-Hungary)
Build Eiffel Tower (1889)

7. France continued. Second Moroccan Crisis 1911
Translation: Lorraine and Alsace is ours! By popular artist Jean Jacques Waltz
Second Moroccan Crisis 1911
Background: France intends to annex Morocco
French troops in Morocco, Germany incited that France broke the treaty that ended First Moroccan Crisis
sent gunboat Panther to port Agadir to test the bond between Great Britain and France (Chambers 825)
Want French Congo in exchange for accepting France's control over Morocco (Chambers 825)
Result: Great Britain come to France's aid, some land is given to Germany
Importance: further solidifies Great Britain and France's alliance, and Europe's distrust of Germany (Chambers 825) Learn more
Bottom Line:
Wants to regain lost land of Alsace-Lorraine from Germany
Bound to Russia by treaty

8. Current state: tsar Nicholas II weak leader, influenced by “mad monk” Rasputin, lose war to Japan 1904
Russia
Triple Entente: France | Russia | Great Britain
Prelude:
Depleted by Crimean War  isolation, had to regroup and impose influence
Global ambition: wants warm water port (Russian)  wants to gain Balkan lands - imperialism
vast, but divided
Mostly peasants, slow industrialization
Prewar:
- Humiliated by loss of Russo-Japanese War in 1905
Internal revolution 1905 (caused by terrible work conditions, 11 hour work days, little wages) “Bloody Sunday” (Tsar) Read more
Largest army force in number, but lack of equipment, backwards
Bottom Line:
- Protector of Slavs (Chambers 827)
- Intact treaty with the Serbs, can’t let Austria-Hungary control Balkan
Japan sink Russian fleet
Russian postcard in 1914 depict nailing German eagle to post  shows hate

9. Great Britain Prelude:
Current state: democracy that lived in “splendid isolation”
Great Britain
Triple Entente: France | Russia | Great Britain
Reasons for Splendid Isolation:
Keep balance of power (as long as no ‘superpower’, it’s okay to stay out
Focus on protect its overseas territory with its large, powerful navy
Prelude:
Aligned with France in Crimean War, want to prevent Russia from expanding it influence over strategic location of Ottoman Empire (ironic: join Russia in alliance later)
prosperous middle class → unrestrained, seek to “live life to the fullest”
period of decadence and degeneration after the Industrial Revolution (Livesey)
“Splendid Isolation” = foreign policy of neutrality
Prewar:
Naval arms race with Germany – build powerful Dreadnought battleship in 1906 (Chambers 825)
Revolutionize naval warfare
Tied to nationalism and imperialism
Fastest of its time (steam turbines) and first warship with big guns
Winner of race!
12-inch guns on British Dreadnought, motto of public: “We want eight, we won’t wait!” (Wilde)
Invasion Literature: Bram Stoker’s Dracula (1897) and H. G. Wells’ The War of the Worlds (1898) example of people’s fear of foreign invasion | Robert Louis Stevenson's Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1886) – reflect fears of moral degeneration

10. Great Britain continued.
Joining the War Efforts
- All countries enforce conscription – draft young men to serve in army (Encarta), except for Great Britain which only had volunteers for the army.
Reason: believe its superior navy can protect the island shores
Bottom Line:
Ends isolation when it feels threat of Germany and its navy, other countries colonizing  future trade conflict, France and Russia allying
1904 Entente Cordiale with France (over concern of Germany’s global aim) which gains Morocco, and Britain rules Egypt (Chambers )
1907 Triple Entente with France and Russia
When entering war, its dominions including South Africa, India, Canada, Australia offer help
England has many dominions as seen in this cartoon

11. Austria-Hungary Italy Prelude:
Triple Alliance: Germany | Austria-Hungary | Italy
Austria-Hungary
Father of Psychoanalysis, Sigmund Freud ( ) begins his early work, realm of “unconscious mind”
Prelude:
weak after loss to Prussia (Austro-Prussian
War 1866)
multinational empire–each group wants independence
Prewar:
1908 Austria annexes Bosnia, anger Serbia and Russia
Form alliance with Germany because of fear of Russia
Bottom Line:
fear Serbia will control land, invade unprepared, worst scenario: Russia comes to Serbia's aid
Italy
*Italy signed a treaty saying it only joined the war efforts in “defense”, but Italy deemed the efforts “offensive”  neutral, however in 1915, join Triple Entente

12. Balkan Powder Keg Prelude:
Balkan Land: turbulent area of southeast Europe (see map) – mountainous peninsula, ethnic/ religious/ cultural differences cause disputes, oppression, driven by nationalism
Ottoman Empire decline, nickname “sick man of Europe” (The Balkans)
formation of independent Serbia, Romania, Montenegro
Russia want outlet to Mediterranean, Great Britain opposes because of fear of Russia's dominance
Austria wants to expand
Where does term “powder keg” come from?
Hundreds of years of political and ethnic conflict → instability and wars, source of contention in Europe, all it needed was a “spark” to “explode” into war, that spark was ultimately provided by the Great Powers

13. Balkan Powder Keg continued.
Prewar:
1908 Austria annexes Bosnia → Serbia and Russia furious at Austria's expansion
1912 First Balkan War: {Serbia, Greece, Bulgaria, Montenegro} wage war on weakened Ottoman Empire
Ottoman lose most European land by March 1913, 4 countries split up land
Austria shocked and angered by Serbia's land gains
1913 Great Powers draw up peace treaty in London – reduce Ottoman Empire, divide up land between {Serbia, Greece, Bulgaria, Montenegro}
Serbia asks Bulgaria to readjust their territorial gains... Trigger…
1913 Second Balkan War
Bulgarians attack, but lose because
Serbia has allies (Greece, Romania, Turkey)
(Chambers 823)
Serbia divides the area → confident,
nationalistic fervor
only problem: enemy Austria
Bottom Line:
- Example of imperialism, nationalism

14. Culmination  Immediate cause of WWI, the “spark”: June 28, 1914:
Black Hand/ Union or Death: Serbian Terrorist Society Prelude: Austria gain control over Bosnia and Herzegovina from Turkey at Treaty of Berlin (1878) – multi-ethnic population
When Austria annex Bosnia in 1908, incite Serbs who want the land
Formed in 1911 Goal: free Serbians from Austria’s control, using violence if necessary By 1914: 2500 members After hear of Archduke’s visit, begin training 3 young Bosnians  bid for war, didn’t expect world war
Learn more about Black Hand and the assassination
(Shackelford)
Immediate cause of WWI, the “spark”:
June 28, 1914:
Assassination of Archduke Francis Ferdinand – heir to Austria-Hungary throne – in Sarajevo (capital of Bosnia) by Serbian “Black Hand” nationalist
Austria-Hungary takes this opportunity to crush Serbia and assert influence over the Balkans by declaring war
Russia comes to Serbia’s rescue
Austria-Hungary looks to its ally Germany
Chain of events, ultimately dragging all alliances into war through association with those involved
July , Austria declare war on Serbia

15. [Click slide to continue cartoon]
Part 1
Part 2
A Picture is worth a thousand words: Cartoon explanation of how war started:
[Click slide to continue cartoon]

16. Summary of Causes of WWI
Pictorial Summary of Causes
Long-term causes of WWI:
Entangling network of alliances: Ironic that the “defensive” system of alliances that was suppose to deter war resulted in chain reaction bringing everyone to war
Imperialism
Nationalism (Yellow Journalism, Propaganda, Oppression of certain groups)
Bitter historical grievances (i.e. France lost Alsace-Lorraine to Germany)
Militarism – ready for war, 300% increase in $$$ spent on main European countries (Shellshear)
Rivalry in wealth, trade, land, industry
Chain of Friendship cartoon
Did you know WWI was called the “Great War” during the time? “The war to end all wars” as novelist H.G. Wells put it. Pretty safe to say he was right.

17. Significant Figures Otto von Bismarck (1815 – 1898)
Iron chancellor (‘blood and iron”)
status quo, conciliatory foreign policy after unite Germany
Tsar Nicholas II (1868 – 1918)
Ineptness leads to unrest, food shortage, strikes, revolution
Loses Russo-Japanese War, growing working-class with terrible work conditions (-> Bloody Sunday) cause tension at home, he loses support (Tsar)
Kaiser Wilheim II (1859 – 1941)
Militarist, meddles with Bismarck’s stable foreign policy  bad relations with other countries (i.e. breaks Russian tie, makes enemy out of France in Morocco Crisis)
Love of the navy  naval arms race with Great Britain
Aggressive support of Austria-Hungary

18. Quiz Click next to see answers! Answers: 1. d; 2. e; 3. c; 4. d; 5. d;
1. Which country was not in the Triple Entente by 1914?
a) France
b) Russia
c) Britain
d) Germany
2. What is not a cause of WWI?
a) imperialism
b) alliances
c) militarism
d) nationalism
e) mercantilism
3. Which country had the most powerful navy by WWI?
a) Russia
b) France
c) Great Britain
e) Italy
4. What was Russia's role after Austria-Hungary declare war on Serbia?
a) as protector of the Slavs, immediately wage war on Austria-Hungary's ally Germany
b) ally with France to attack Serbia
c) aid Austria-Hungary
d) aid Serbia
e) neutral, secure its own borders
5. What is the significance of the First and Second Moroccan Crisis?
a) end bloody rebellions in Morocco
b) France is humiliated by Germany
c) Germany gain land through imperialism
d) solidify Great Britain and France alliance
e) Germany annexes Morocco
6. Which country made first declaration of war?
a) Serbia
c) Germany
d) Italy
e) Austria-Hungary
f) Bosnia
7. What countries make up Triple Alliance in 1907?
a) Bulgaria, Serbia, Greece
b) France, Russia, Great Britain
c) Russia, Austria-Hungary, Italy
d) Germany, Austria-Hungary, Italy
e) Germany, France, Great Britain
8. During the Balkan Wars, which Balkan nation came out as a strong, nationalistic power?
a) Albania
b) Bosnia
c) Bulgaria
d) Greece
e) Serbia
9. What is not an event leading up to World War I?
a) Bosnian Crisis
b) Boxer Rebellion
c) Second Balkan War
d) First Moroccan Crisis (Algeciras)
e) Second Moroccon Crisis (Agadir)
10. What was Britain’s foreign policy during fin de siècle?
a) containment
b) isolationism
c) interventionism
d) War on terror
e) Disengagement
11. Who was the bellicose German kaiser who dismissed Bismarck and began weltpolitik foreign policy?
a) Friedrick III
b) Kaiser Wilheim II
c) Leopold I
d) Franz Ferdinand
e) Kaiser Wilheim I
Answers:
1. d; 2. e; 3. c; 4. d; 5. d;
6. e; 7. d; 8. e; 9. b;
10. b; 11. b;
Click next to see answers!

19. More Info
Really good powerpoint giving overview of Balkans from past to present:
Causes of WWI
Detailed Pre-1914 timeline
Learn more about Kaiser Wilheim II’s aggressive actions

20. Works Cited/Bibliography
“Background to the War Nobody Won: World War I, ” < Web. Feb
Clare, John. “Background to the War.” < Web. 16 Feb
Chambers, Mortimer. The Western Experience. 9th ed. New York: Knopf; [distributed by Random House, Print.
Gehrz, Chris. “Germany’s Place in the Sun.” < Dec Web. Feb
Livesey, Ruth. “Fin de Siècle” < Feb
“Modern History Sourcebook: Kaiser Wilhelm II: A Place in the Sun, 1901” < Web. Feb
“Russian Where Angels Fear to Tread.” < Web. 15 Feb 2013.
Shackelford, Micheal. “The Black Hand.” < Web. Feb
Shellshear, “World War I.” < Web. Feb
“The Balkans – Many People, Many Problems.” < Web. Feb
“Tsar Nicholas and the Great War and the Effects on Russia.” < Apr Web. Feb
“’Weltpolitik and Its Consequences”
< Jan Web. Feb
Wilde, Robert. “The Anglo-Germany Naval Race.” < About.com Web. Feb
“World War I.” < Web. Feb